What are Night Terrors and Nightmares?
Night terrors (sleep terror or pavor nocturnus) are a sleep disorder characterized by sudden crying, screaming, sweating, apparent fear and hysteria while asleep. A person experiencing a night terror is not awake and may often go back to sleep without recollecting the events. However a sufferer may awaken and continue to display the symptoms of a night terror for a few minutes after waking. Night terrors often occur in the non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep. A night terror differs from a nightmare and can affect any age group (infants, toddlers, young children, teens and adults) although it is more common in children under 5 years of age. Nightmares are scary and disturbing dreams or ‘bad dreams’ that may induce symptoms similar to night terrors. Many sufferers can recall the nightmare and are aware that they had a nightmare upon waking. A nightmare occurs during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep or ‘deep sleep’ and will usually end immediately upon waking.
Night terrors (sleep terror or pavor nocturnus) are a sleep disorder characterized by sudden crying, screaming, sweating, apparent fear and hysteria while asleep. A person experiencing a night terror is not awake and may often go back to sleep without recollecting the events. However a sufferer may awaken and continue to display the symptoms of a night terror for a few minutes after waking. Night terrors often occur in the non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep.
